The Cross River Government has threatened severe penalty against a firm, Bao Yao Iron and Steel Company, for allegedly owing the state N1.2 billion accrued tax liabilities.
This was disclosed by Ayi Bassey, the director compliance, Cross River Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on Monday during a compliance drive to the premises of the firm in Calabar.
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Mr Bassey said the IRS had taken steps provided by law but that the company refused to discharge its statutory responsibility to the government.
“We have served them demand notice, final demand notice; for four periods they have been issued pre-action notices and they have done nothing to show they have a responsibility to the state.
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“As a service, we view this as a deliberate attempt on the part of the management of the company to undermine the developmental efforts of the present administration in the state.
“We have placed the non-compliance stickers as our final demand to them, beyond this, we will take necessary steps to ensure we enforce compliance,” he said.
On his part, Emmanuel Esira, the director of Legal Services and Enforcement of Cross River IRS, said the visitation was a further administrative step to get the company informed of their indebtedness to the government.
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According to him, “The tax we are asking for are deductions from staff salaries that have not been remitted to the tax authorities in the state since 2009.
“The notification stickers will be on their premises until they comply and if they don’t respond, we will take further actions.
Mr Esira urged other companies doing business in Cross River not to allow situations degenerate to a point where they have to paste non-compliance stickers in their premises before they carry out their obligations.
When a PREMIUM TIMES reporter called the Bao Yao Iron and Steel Company’s official telephone line on Tuesday evening, an official identified as Emmanuel Dominic by Truecaller app declined comment on the matter.
(NAN)
